Typewriting machine



Junie 9, 1925.

J. B. HOLDEN TYPEWRI'fING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed Oct 9. 1924.

YINYENIZOR June 9, 1925.

4. B. HOLDEN TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 9. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AINVIENTQR I Fr'M ATTORNEY Patented June 9, 1925. I?

Uni-ran sra'rss PATENT-OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. HOLDEN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO REMINGTQN TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF ILION, NEVJ YORK, A CGEPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application filed October 9, 1924. Serial No. 742,528.-

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnrH B. HOLDEN, citizen of the United States, and resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State'of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to typewrit-ing and like machines and more particularly to portable machines.

In such machines it is common to condition them to prevent injury toparts thereof while they are being carried or transported, and to recondition them again for use. In some such machines it is possible to operate the printing instrumentalities to strike the platen or the paper thereon before the machine has been fully conditioned for use. This may result in destroying or mar ring the work sheet before the operator observes that the machine is not fully conditioned to proceed with the work.

The main object of my invention is to provide, in such a machine, improved means for overcoming this objection, and to compel a complete conditioning of the machine for use before the operator is enabled to operate the printing instrumentalities.

A further object of my invention is to prevent the use of the printing keys when the carriage release mechanism is in operation while the machine is conditioned for writing. To this end I provide a lock for the printing key levers and a train of connections therefrom to the separable escapement' mechanism, whereby when the rack and dog members thereof are separated to release the carriage for rapid movements in either direction the key-levers will be automatically locked and the operator will be unable accidentally or inadvertently to do any printing which might produce an error in the line of writing or otherwise spoil the same or the sheets.

To the above and other ends which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the features of construction, combinations of devices and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the different views,

Figure 1 is a rear elevation with parts in section of a Remington portable machine embodying my invention, the machine belng shown enclosed within its carrying case.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical fore-w 'which it coacts to lock the printing instrumentalities against printing operation.

I have shown my invention embodied, in the present instance, in a Remington portable machine, in which the invention may be readily included with but a very slight change in the existing structure.

In the Remington portable machine in order to condition the machine for use, the type bars must first be expanded by one operation to a position where they'are free to strike against a platen, and the center lock for the carriage must be hand released and the escapement'rendered effective, by another operation. It sometimes happens that the operator will expand the type bars and forget to handrelease the center lock and render the escapement effective to restrain the movement of the carriage. The

operator may then proceed to write and not discover that the carriage cannot be fed until the work sheet'is marred, mutilated or destroyed. In accordance with my invention, as it is exemplified in the present instance, this diiticulty is overcome by automatically locking the printing keys when the hand controlled center lock is rendered effective and the escapeinent is rendered ineffective to restrain the carriage, and by automatically releasing said keys when the center lock is rendered ineffective and the .escapement rendered effective to restrain the carriage. It follows,. therefore, that the printing keys cannot be actuated if the center lock is hand positioned to lock the carriage and render the escapement ineffective to restrain the carriage, thereby notifying the operator that the machine must be further conditioned for use by releasing the center lock and re-establishing the escapement in operative condition.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown only so much of a Remington portable prises a key lever 3, fulcrumed at 4: and

provided with a key 5. Each key lever is connected through a link 6, sub-lever 7, second link 8, and second sub-lever 9 with a type bar 10. Operative connection is established between each sub-lever 9 and the associated type bar by segmental rack sections 11 and 12. The type bars are all mounted on a pivot wire 13, on which they are adapted to be turned from a collapsed locked position to the effective position for use, shown in Fig. 2 when ordinarily they may be actuated to strike downwardly against the top face of the platen always maintained in the path thereof. The means for effecting this conditioning of the type bars for use or for transportation of the machine, comprises -a rock shaft 14, controlled by a hand actuated crank are 15. This rock shaft also carries crank arms 16, pivoted to links 17; the latter being pivoted at their upper ends to a vertically shift-able support 18, having a pad 19 on which the type bars rest.

The non-folding carriage of this machine is mounted on its support in the usual manner to travel from side to side of the machine, and to shift with the support foreand-a-ft of the machine in the case-shifting movements of said support, the carriage always supporting the platen in position for use. That portion of the case shift frame on which the carriage support is mounted, and the means for shifting it to change the case position of the platen, are of the usual construction, but are not shown in order to avoid confusion and afford a better illustration of other parts of the construction. The carriage comprises a body plate or portion 20 to r-zhich end plates 21 are secured. The :plate 20 is formed with bearing portions 22 and 23 in which crossed bearing rollers 24 are received. Said rollers bear against companion tracks 25 and 26 on the carriage support 27, and thus support the carriage for traveling movement and always "maintain it in operative position. A platen spindle 28 is mounted to turn and to slide longitudinally in bearings in the end plates 21 the spindle being provided at one end w h finger wheel 29. A platen 30 is mounted on the spindle 28 to turn therewith and permit a longitudinal shifting movement of the spindle independently of the platen, by reason of a pin and slot connection (not shown) between the platen and shaft. This feature, and the cooperation of'the spindle with the center lock for the carriage, and the release'of the carriage by the center lock, to be hereinafter described, are fully disclosed and are claimed in my co-pending application Sr. No. 547,128, filed March 27, 1922.

A hand controlled lever 31 is pivoted at 32 on the left-hand end slate 21 of the'carriage. This lever comprises three arms, one of which constitutes a locking finger or member 33, whereas the second terminates in a 1 finger piece 3%, and the third terminates in a locking finger or member 35. The look ing finger 33 passes into a transverse slot in the bearing member 21 for the left-hand end portion of the platen spindle 28. In one. position of the finger 33, it extends across the bore of said slotted bearing member 21 and in the path of the spindle, to prevent a longitudinal displacen'ient of the latter and the finger wheel 29 from the dotted to the full line position shown in Fig. 1. From an inspection of this figure, it will be seen that when the finger wheel 29 is drawn out to the dotted line position for use, it extends into the path of a side wall of the carrying case 36 and prevents the cover from being closed. The operator. is compelled therefore to shift the lever 31 from the position where the finger 33 thereon locks the spindle 28 against longitudinal movement, to the Fig. 2 position before the finger wheel 29 can be shifted from its obstructing position. In this last mentioned position the spindle with finger wheel is free to be shifted from the dotted to the full; line position in Fig. 1. Vvhen thus shifted the spindle extends across the path of return movement the locking finger 33, effected by a spring 37, and locks the lever 31 in the Fig. .1 position. The efiect of this is to leave the carriage free from restraint of its escapement mechanism and to maintain the center lock effective. Thus it will be seen that the finger piece 3% is bent laterally from the lever 31 and extends behind the ordinary carriage release lever or arm 38. The lower end of this arm is secured at '39 (Fig. 1) to a sheet metal plate 4&0 that extends substantially throughout the length of the carriage and constitutes a support for the feed rack 41 of the carriage escaperient mechanism. The plate, contr lling member, or rack-support is pivoted at 42 on bracket arms 43 secured to the body plate 20 of the carriage. Springs 44 bear against the plate 40 and normally hold the plate at the limit of its forard movement witii the teeth of the feed rack engaging the feed dog i5. When the dog i5 is thus engaged, a printing operlit) ation is effective, through a train of connections not shown, tolower the feed dog and bring the holding dog 46 into engagement with the rack, and during the return movement of the dogs the carriage advances one letter space. When, however, the lever 31 is locked in the Fig. 2 position the finger piece 34 co-acting with the carriage release lever 38 holds the feed rack 41 disengaged from the normally engaged feed dog 45, as shown. This frees the spring-propelled carriage from the restraint of its escapement mechanism and relievesthe feed dogs and rack from any injury that might result from shocks or jars from the carriage in transporting the machine in its case. Since the carriage is free from restraint of its escapement mechanism atthis time, it is desirable to provide other means for holding the carriage. The center lock, one member of which is formed by the locking-finger 35, is provided for this purpose. When the lever 31 is moved to and locked in the Fig. 2 position, as explained, the locking finger 35 is projected down through a slot in the carriage plate 20 and into effective position.

In this position the lower edge of the looking finger 35 has a path of movement with the carriage in the normal line of travel of the latter which will bring it into co-operation with one or the other of two oppositely beveled faces 47 on the upstanding part of a companionspring locking member L8, secured by a screw 49 to the bottom of the carriage support 27. A locking slot or notch 50 is located between the two bevel edges 47 in the locking member 48. When the finger 35 is locked in its projected, Fig. 2, position and the carriage is moved in either direction to center it in its line of travel, the finger 35 will be seated in the locking notch 50 when said centered position is reached, thus holding the carriage against movement either to right or left. The machine will thus be maintained with the feed rack released and the carriage center-locked as long as the finger wheel remains in the com pacted, full line position, shown in Fig. 1. This conditions the machine for enclosure and transportationwithin its carrying case 'after the type bars have been collapsed. To recondition the machine for use it is merely necessary to expand the type bars, as shown in Fig. 2, and pull the finger wheel 29 to the dotted line position in Fig. 1, thereby freeing the lever 31 and bringing about a release of the center lock and a re-engagement of the feed rack with the feed dog 45. However, it sometimes occurs that the operator in conditioning the machine for use will expand the type bars but will forget to pull out the finger wheel 29 before attempt ing to write on the machine. In the Remington portable machine the prlnting keys are free to be actuated at this time to chine.

cause the type bars to strike the platen or the paper thereon even'though the carriage cannot be moved from its centered position. By my present invention I overcome this objection by locking the printing keys against actuation until the center lock has been releasedand the rack re-engaged with the feed dog 45. This compels the operator to pullout the finger wheel 29 to effect this result before the printing keys can be actuated. The act of pulling out thefinger wheel 29 and producing the above mene tioned result is effective to automatically re lease the locked printing keys, as will now appear.

- The detail construction thus far described is part of the regular equipment of the Remington portable machine. In addition said machine is equipped with line lock mechanism comprising a locking bar 51 having arms 52 at the ends thereof. These arms have ears 53 perforated to receive pins 54 which projectinwardly from the side plates of the inner frame 2 of the machine. In this manner the locking bar is pivotally mounted to swing fore-and-aft of the ma- The lower edge of this bar is bent rearwardly to form a flange 51 which, when the bar is in looking position shown in Fig. 2, extends beneath the forwardly extending bills 55 of the hook-like projections on the printing key levers. While the locking bar does not prevent all depression of the key levers, it does, when in effective position, prevent a full depression of any of the key levers and prevents a movement of any type bar to printing. position. A link 56 extends fore-and-aft of the machine and is connected at one end to a perforated ear 57 onthelockin, bar, and at the other end to one arm of a bell crank lever 58. This lever is mounted o'n-a bracket arm 59 secured to a fixed part of the machine. The other arm of the lever 58 is connected to one end of a link 60 that extends transversely of the machine, and at its other end projects through an opening 61 in a lever 62, shown in detail in Fig. 4. A nut 68 is received on the inner threaded end portion of the link 60 and bears against one side of the ear 64 of the lever 62. A coiled expansion spring 65 surrounds the link 60 and bears at one end against the ear 64, and at its other end against a nut 66 on the link 60. Motion is transmitted from the lever 62 to the link 60 l and the parts controlled thereby through the spring 65. The lever 62 is pivoted at 67 on the carriage support 27 and extends rearwardly of its fulcrum where it is slotted at 68 to receive a headed screw 69 threaded into a supporting bracket 70, and operating to limit the motion of the lever 62. The rear end of the lever 62 is provided with an offset arm 71 that terminates in an edge 72, with which the usual adjustable line lock zteed dog 45.

actuating member (not shown) on the car riage co-acts to turn the lever 62 when the carriage reaches the end of a line. This motion is transmitted through the intermediate train oi connections to the locking bar 51 to move it to the locking position, shown in Fig. 2. i

The key locking construction as thus far described constitutes part of the usual line lock equipment of the Remington portable machine. In accordance with my invention, as shown in the present embodiment thereof, I have provided a forwardly extending contact or finger 73 on the outer endoi the arm 71. This contact, as will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 3, is located to one side oi a vertical tore-and-ait plane extending through the body portion of the lever 62 and the pivot 7 thereof. The free end of the finger 73 is located, in the present instance, where it is adjacent to, but normally free "from contact with, the plate or feed rack support 40. The construction and arrangement or" the parts are such that a rearward movement of said support 40 from its nor- ..l position to disengage the feed rack from the reed dog 45 will, through the contact 73, cause the lever 62 to turn on its pivot in the direction of the curved arrow in Fig. 3. This eitect will be produced when the rack is released at any point in the line of travel of the carriage and will result in moving the locking bar 51 forward to locking position, where it will remain as long as the feed rack is maintained disengaged from the \Vhen the feed rack is returned to its normal position to engage said dog, the lever 62 and the locking bar 51 will be returned to normal position by a returning spring 74 connected to the bell crank lever 58.

From the foregoing it will be understood that whenever the lever 31 is locked in the F 2 position to release the feed rack and render the center lock effective, as shown, the printin keys will be locked against printing actuation even though the type bars be expanded ready for use. When, however, the finger wheel 29 is pulled out to the dotted line position, this will release the locked lever 81 and it will be returned by its spring 37 to normal position. The effect of this is to release the center lock, return the feed rack to dog-engaging position and move the keylocking bar 51 to releasing position, so that the machine is fully conditioned for use, assuming that the type bars have been moved to expanded position. But until the machine has thus been fully conditioned for use, the type bars cannot be actuated to print on the work sheet.

I am aware that various changes may be made without departing from my invention as it is defined in the accompanying claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by letters Patent,,is.: V

1. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage,printing keys, a lock therefor, key operative to release the carriage from. restraint of its feed mechanism, and means controlled-by said key for actuating said lock.

In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism therefor, a center lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel, printing keys, locking means for locking said keys against printing actuation, a controlling key, and means controlled thereby for releasing the carriage from. the restraint of its escapeinent inechanisn'i, for rendering said center lock eiiective and for actuating said key rockin means to prevent printing actuation of the printing keys' 3. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination oi carriage, escapeme'nt mechanism therefor comprising a separable l'ZiCrI and dog, printing keys, locking means tcr preventingprinting actuation of said keys, and means for actuating said locking means to lock the keys when the rack and dog are separated.

' 4. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, mechanism therefor, a center lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel, printing keys, locking means for locking said keys against printing actuation, a controlling key, and means controlled thereby for releasing the carriage from the restraint of its escapement mechanism, for rendering said center lock efi'ective and for actuating said key locking means to prevent printing actuation of the printing keys, a return movement of said controlling key to noriial position restoring the carriage to control of its escapement mechanism, rendering the center lock ineffective and) releasing the printing keys from restraint of their locking means.

5. In a typewriting or like machine,the combination of a carriage, an escapementmechanism therefor comprising a separable rack'an'd dog, )rinting keys, locking means for preventing printing actuation of said keys, and means for actuating said locking means to lock the keys when the rack and dog are separated and to unlock the keys when the rack and oog are re-engaged.

6. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism there-tor, a center lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel, printing keys, locking means for locking said keys against printing actuation, a controlling key, means controlled thereby for releasing the carriage from the restraint oi its escapenient mechanism, for rendering said center lock effective and for actuatlng escapement said key locking means to prevent printing actuation of the printing keys, and means for locking said controlling key in its actuated position.

7. In a typewriti-ng or like machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism there-for including a feed dog and a feed rack releasable from said dog, printing keys, and locking means for said keys operative by the releasing movement of said feed rack.

8. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism therefor, a center lock for looking the carriage centered in' its line of travel, printing keys, locking means for locking said keys against printing actuation, a controlling key, means controlled thereby for releasing the carriage from the restraint of its escapement mechanism, for rendering said: center lock effective and for actuating said key locking means to prevent printing actuation of the printing keys, a finger Wheel for the platen movable into and out of compact position, and prevented from movement into compact position when said controlling key is in the normal position and adapted to lock the controlling key in its actuated position when said finger wheel is in the compact position. i

9. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism therefor, printing keys, and a lock for locking said keys against printing actuation and including a controlling member carried by the carriage support and a second hand actuated controlling member carried by the carriage and co-operativewith said first mentioned controlling mem-. her at any point in the travel of the car-' riage to actuate the look and also operative at the same time to free the carriage from restraint of its escapement mechanism.

10. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, a-center lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel, printing keys, a lock for locking said keys against printing actuation, a finger piece carried by and movable on the carriage, and means controlled by said finger piece for rendering said center lock effective and for actuating said key lock to prevent a printing operation of said keys.

11. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism therefor, a cent-er lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel, printing keys, a lock for locking said keys against printing actuation, a finger piece carried by and movable on the carriage, and means controlled by said finger piece for rendering said center lock effective, for actuating said key lock to prevent a printing operation of said keys, and for freeing the carriage from restraint of its escapement mechanism.

1.2. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism therefor, a center lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel, printin g keys, alock for locking said keys against printing actuation, a finger piece carried by and movable on the carriage, a finger wheel for the platen mounted for movement into and out of compact position and effective to lock said finger piece in its actuated position, and means controlled by said finger piece for rendering said center lock effective, for actuating said key lock to prevent a printing operation of said keys, and for freeingthe carriage from restraint of its escapement mechanism, the return of said finger piece to normal position restoring the carriage to restraint of-its escapement mechanism releasing the center lock and freeing the printing keys from said key lock.

13. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, a plate carried by and extending lengthwise in the direction of the travel of the carriage and movable thereon, means for controlling the movement of said plate on the carriage, escapement mechanism for the carriage, printing keys, a lock for locking said keys against printing actuation, and means that enable a movement of said plate on the carriage to release the carriage from restraint of its escapement mechanism and to actuate said lock to prevent printing actuation of said keys.

14. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, a plate carried by and extending lengthwise in the direction of the travel of the carriage and movable thereon, a center lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel, printing keys, and key locking means controlled by said plate.

15. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, a plate carried byand extending lengthwise in the direction of the travel of the carriage and movable thereon, escapement mechanism for the carriage releasable to free the carriage from restraint thereof by a movement of said plate, a center lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel, printing keys, and key locking means controlled by said plate.

16. In a typevvriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, a plate carried by and extending lengthwise in the direction of the travel of the carriage and movable thereon, escapement mechanism for the carriage including a feed rack carried by said plate and which frees the carriage from restraint of such escapement mechanism when said plate is moved on the carriage, a center lock for locking the carriage against movement in either direction in its line of travel,

rinting keys, and key locking means controlled by said plate, whereby a movement of the centerlock to effective position is operatire to release the carriage from restraint of its escapement mechanism and to render the key lock effective, and a release of the center lock is operative to cause the carriage to be restrained by escapement mechanism and release the key lock.

17. In. a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen carried thereby, a finger wheel for said platen movable into and out of compact position; a center lock for locking the carriage in its line of travel and which includes a finger piece for moving it into and out of effective position, means by which the finger wheel is prevented from being moved to the compact position when saidcenter lock is ineffective and which retains the center lock effective when the finger wheel is in compact position, printing keys, a lock therefor, and means operatively connected to the center lock for rendering said key lock effective and ineffective.

18. Ina typewriting or like machine, the combination of carriage, a platen carried thereby,'a finger wheel for said platen movable into and out of compact position, a center lock for locking the carriage in its line of travel and which includes a finger piece for moving it into and out 0f effective position, means by which the finger wheel is prevented from being moved to the compact position when said center lock is ineffective and which retains the. center lock effective when the finger wheel is in compact position, printing keys, a lock therefor, carriage escapenient mechanism, and means operativcly connected to said center lock for rendering the escapement mechanism ineffective and effective to restrain the carriage and for rendering said key lock effective and ineffective.

19. In a typ'ewriting or like machine, the combinationof a carriage, a carriage support, printing keys, a lock for locking said keys against printing actuation comprising a controlling lever mounted on said support, a plate that extends longitudinally in the direction of the travel of the carriage and substantially throughout the length thereof and is mounted for independent movement thereon, the plate in its independent movement controlling said lever, a center lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel and which efiects an independent movement of said plate.

20. In a. typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, printing keys, line lock mechanism for locking said keys against printing operation when the carriage reaches the end of a line, a center lock for locking the carriage centered in its line of travel, and means bv which said center lock is caused to actuate said line lock mechanism, whereby said keys will be maintained locked as long as the center lock is effective and will be released when said center lock is released. r

21. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism therefor, printing keys, line lock mechanism for locking said keys againstprinting operation when the carriage reaches the end of a line, releasing means for freeing the carriage from restraint of its'escapement mechanism, and means controlled by said releasing means for actuating said line lock mechanism to lock saidv keys against printing actuation as long as the carriage is freed from restraint of its escapement mechanism and for releasing the locked keys when the escapement mechanism is rendered effective to restrain the carriage.

Signed at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, this 3 day of October, A. D. 1924.

i JOSEPH B. HOLDEN. lfVitnesses a 1 HERBERT E. BRIDGWATER, V WALTER BARR. 

